Physicians Are Now Paid to Discuss End-Of-Life Care With Patients

Talking about your own death is not easy or enjoyable for most people.  Chances are, you know you should have this conversation but have put it off.  There is no time like the present!

There are many milestones on the way to adulthood; high school graduation and turning 18 are big ones.  With the age of majority come additional privileges and responsibilities.  Newly minted adults are expected to make more decisions for themselves, as their parents adjust to changes in their roles. 

As adults, we don’t like to think about ever being in a position where we cannot make decisions or speak for ourselves. Unfortunately, sometimes situations arise where we need to rely on others to look out for our best interests. One such situation is when a person becomes incapacitated due to illness, trauma, or a disease such as dementia or Alzheimer’s. Because there is no way to predict if any of these circumstances will arise, either very suddenly or over time, it is important to have a legal document in place that names a specific individual to make decisions for us if we cannot do so ourselves.